Mint was originally abundant in the Mediterranean region of Europe and West Asia. Currently, the main producing countries are the United States, Spain, Italy, France, the United Kingdom, the Balkan Peninsula, etc. Some places in Asia also cultivate mint, and in China, it is produced in most places such as Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, etc. Mint is the whole herb or leaves of the plant Mentha, which belongs to the family Lamiaceae. In warm regions like Guangdong and Guangxi, it can be harvested three times a year.
Mint is a dried herb with a square stem, measuring 15-35 centimeters long and 2-4 millimeters in diameter. It is yellow-brown or green in color, has nodes, and the internodes are 3-7 centimeters long. The upper part has opposite branches, covered with white hairs, and dense at the corners. It is brittle, easy to break, and has a white cross-section. The leaves are opposite, curled, wrinkled, and often fragmented. The upper surface is dark green, the lower surface is light green, and it has white hairs. It is crisp in texture. The branch tip often has umbels, which are yellow-brown in color, and there are many corollas. It has a fragrant smell and a cool taste. The best quality mint is dried, rootless, with many leaves, green color, and strong aroma.
The flavonoids in the same plant Mentha piperita have choleretic effects.
Processing: Remove impurities, remove residual roots, shake off the leaves separately, then spray water on the stem, cut it into sections after being moistened, dry it, and mix it with the leaves.
Properties and tastes: Pungent and cool.
① "Yi Xue Qi Yuan": "Zhu Zhi Mi Yao says, it is cool and pungent."
② "Yi Lin Zuan Yao": "Pungent and cold."
Meridians entered: Lung and liver meridians.
① "Tang Ye Ben Cao": "It is a medicine for the hand Tai Yin and Jue Yin meridians."
② "Gang Mu": "It enters the hand Shao Yin and foot Jue Yin meridians."
③ "Ben Cao Xin Bian": "It enters the lung and meridians, as well as the liver and gallbladder."
Dosage: Internally used as decoction (not suitable for long decoction), 0.8-2 qian; or made into pills or powder. Externally used as poultice or decoction for topical application.
Contraindications: Avoid use in cases of yin deficiency and blood dryness, excessive liver yang, and excessive sweating due to external deficiency.
① "Yao Xing Lun": "Do not eat for newly healed patients, as it can cause excessive sweating."
② "Qian Jin Shi Zhi": "Can treat diabetes with excessive thirst."
③ "Ben Jing Feng Yuan": "Taking it in large doses or for a long time can cause weakness and coldness; it should not be used for those with yin deficiency and fever, cough and spontaneous sweating."
④ "Ben Cao Cong Xin": "Pungent and aromatic, excessive consumption can damage the lungs and heart, so it should be avoided by those with deficiency."
